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Rep. Wexler to resign to take nonprofit post

BOCA RATON -- U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler said Wednesday he will leave Congress in January to take a position as president of the Center for Middle East Peace & Economic Cooperation.

Wexler, a Florida Democrat who was elected to his congressional seat in 1996, announced his plans to reporters at his Boca Raton office. The seven-term congressman said he cherished the opportunity to serve Floridians and never forgot those who put him in office.

"The one thing I hope both my friends and my opponents will say about me is that I never shied away from doing what I thought was in the best interests of my constituents and my community, whether someone agreed with me or not," Wexler said. "I never sat on the sidelines. I got into the fray."

Because Wexler will leave office before his term is scheduled to end, Gov. Charlie Crist will call a special election for the seat that represents Florida's 19th district, which covers parts of Palm Beach and Broward counties.

"My one regret is that I will be unable to complete my current term in office, but I truly believe there is no time to waste," Wexler said, reading from a statement. "We are at a unique and critically tense moment in the history of the Middle East, with both significant opportunities to succeed in the Arab-Israeli conflict, as well as major challenges involving Iran, Hamas and al-Qaida."

The 48-year-old Wexler, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, backed President Barack Obama during the 2008 campaign and was one of his chief surrogates before Jewish audiences. Wexler said he spoke with Obama on Monday, but did not seriously consider a specific job within his administration.

"This is what is the best plan for me at this time," Wexler said. "I enjoy a wonderful relationship with so many of my colleagues in Congress, so many of the people in the administration, which I treasure. And one of the things that I intend to do as president for the Center for Middle East Peace is work in concert with the Obama administration's vision for peace in the Middle East."

The center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that was founded in 1989 and works with Israelis and Palestinians to help resolve conflict in the Middle East, according to its Web site.

"If we do not use this window of opportunity with the election of President Obama, I'm afraid the opportunity will be lost and the status quo in the Middle East will not be maintained and we will move into a very dangerous situation potentially for Israel and for the United States," Wexler said. "And I believe time is of the urgency. Absolutely. We do not have the luxury to wait."

Wexler, who will not have to register as a lobbyist, declined to disclose his new salary at the center, but said it would be higher than his congressional pay. He has three children, ages 20, 16 and 12, and said the new position will provide a "degree of financial security that my family has not previously enjoyed."

"I am not under any investigation. My marriage is intact. My health is good and, thank God, the health of my family is good," Wexler said. "I am leaving to become the president of the Center for Middle East Peace. It may not be as sexy as some other things, but this is what I'm doing."

Crist spokesman Sterling Ivey said in an e-mail that a special election date has not yet been set. Wexler did not endorse a successor Wednesday, but hinted that he might lend his support to a candidate in the future.

"I have been known to get involved in primaries before, both to people's happiness and chagrin," he said. "Today, I'm announcing my plans and my position. I care deeply about the person who will replace me and lead this community in Congress, so we will leave that for another day. But I've done it before and I care a great deal about this community."